Big Bear is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. In fact, it was ranked among the top 10 trending Airbnb destinations in the United States during the summer of 2020.
Whether you’re on a romantic retreat, traveling with young children, or visiting with friends, there are plenty of fun things to do in Big Bear, California that will help you relax and enjoy the great outdoors.
Coolest Things to Do in Big Bear
1. Explore the unique shops and boutique stores in the Big Bear Lake Village.
Even though the Big Bear Village is a couple of blocks in size, it boasts over 120 unique vendors. Think of it as a one-stop shop for tourists. You’ll find galleries featuring images of local scenic areas, gift shops with tons of beary cute memorabilia, candy stores, silly and amusing novelties, and clothing boutiques.
2. Enjoy good food and amazing coffee.
Some local favorites that I can vouch for include:
- Grizzly Manor Cafe: This little cafe has become a landmark in the Big Bear community. If you’re willing to endure the line, we highly recommend it!
- The Himalayan: This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Big Bear! They serve the most delicious Nepalese/ Tibetan food. Tip: If you go around lunchtime during the week (Monday through Thursday), ask for the “lunch specials” menu.
- Sonora Cantina: If you’re feeling up for Mexican food, look no further than Sonora Cantina. Their food is always fresh, their staff is friendly, the ambiance is nice, and they have daily happy hour (and taco Tuesday) specials!
- The Teddy Bear: This is one of Big Bear’s oldest restaurants. My favorites are their unlimited coffee, breakfast (served all day), and homemade pie selection. Keep in mind that they only accept cash.
- Tropicali: This restaurant is a local favorite. Apart from the friendly staff, their Hawaiian-inspired comfort food (particularly the poke) is the reason it has quickly become one of the top-ranked restaurants in the area.
- Cafe Crepe: This is a fairly new place in Big Bear and it deserves all the attention! The owners are French, so you won’t get a more authentic crepe than this. They have a lot of options to choose from, including gluten-free and vegan.
- The Big Bear Coffee Roasting Company: If you’re a coffee snob like me, you’ll fall in love with this little coffee shop. Since they roast their beans in-house, I guarantee you’ll be enamored with the coffee scent the second you walk in. They also sell coffee by the pound and half-pound, in case you want to take some home or as gifts.
- North Pole Fudge: This little shop, located in the center of the Village, offers a grand selection of homemade chocolate and fudge, caramel-covered apples, candy, and ice cream.
3. Take a scenic hike
Big Bear is situated in the San Bernardino National Forest, a region that encompasses nearly 825,000 acres of wilderness. In it, you’ll find hundreds of miles of hiking trails ready to be explored. If you want to make friends while you’re at it, I encourage you to join the Big Bear Hike Club during one of their outings. You can find them on Instagram and Facebook. Their hikes are free of charge and everyone is welcome to join them so long that they fit the hike’s fitness level.
A few of the most popular Big Bear trails include:
- Castle Rock Trail: A short, but steep trek. The Castle Rock hike gets really busy during the weekends.
- Pine Knot Trail to Grandview Point: As the name suggests, great views await you near the end of the hike.
- Cougar Crest Trail: This one has amazing panoramic views!
- Grey’s Peak: While most of the trails are open year-round, this one is open half of the year because the bald eagles have their nest nearby.
Here’s a list of the top 30 hikes in Big Bear, listed in order from easy to difficult.
If you’re curious about the trail conditions prior to going, search for the name of the trail on All Trails and read the most recent reviews from other hikers.
4. Take a walk on the Alpine Pedal Path.
The Alpine Pedal Path is a paved path on North Shore. It extends from Stanfield Cuttoff to the Serrano Campground. It’s a little over 6 miles round trip. It’s a great place to walk, roller skate, jog with strollers, ride bikes, and see birds, lizards, squirrels, gophers, and the local flora and fauna. Keep in mind that around sunset, the mosquitos come out— you’ll see clouds of them.
5. Go on a scenic drive.
Big Bear is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in California. Take a drive on one of the many scenic roads in the San Bernardino mountains, such as the Big Bear Lake Loop or the Rim of the World Highway. The Rim of the World Highway is an exceptional sight to see around sunset and when the city lights in the distance start to come on.
6. Go on a scenic bike ride.
There are several paved paths, biking trails, and forest roads you can take to explore beautiful places on two wheels.
7. Ride the free city trolley.
In an effort to reduce pollution and traffic congestion, Big Bear provides a free trolley to get locals and visitors around town. They offer three routes:
- Blue Line: This line runs from Veterans Park to Willow Landing Rd/Blue Jay Rd. The Blue Line trolley returns to each stop every 30 minutes during its operating hours (approximately 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM).
- Red Line: This line runs from The Village at Knickerbocker Rd to Erwin Lake. The Red Line trolley returns to each stop every 30 minutes during its operating hours (approximately 6:30 AM to 8:50 PM).
- Gold Line: This line runs from Mountain Meadows Senior Apartments to Paradise Way. The Gold Line trolley returns to each stop every 60 minutes during its operating hours (approximately 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM).
For exact schedules and times, please visit the Mountain Transit website or download the DoubleMap bus tracking app to see the trolley approaching in real-time.
8. Go bird watching, listen to nature talks, and make nature-themed crafts.
Chirp is a local shop that sells bird houses, baths, food, feeders, and practically every bird-related thing. They offer free monthly activities between May and October. All activities are hosted at the Chirp Nature Center.
- On the 1st Saturday of the month, they do educational bird walks. These walks last approximately 1 1/2 hours and begin at 8:00 AM.
- On the 2nd Saturday of the month, they host talks on nature-themed topics. These talks last approximately 1 hour and begin at 7:00 PM.
- On the 3rd Saturday of the month, enjoy a book reading followed by a craft project. Craft materials are available for a small fee. The book reading begins at 11:00 AM.
For more details on these activities, check out Chirp’s website.
9. Go golfing.
Whether you’re golfing on your own, with adults, teens, or younger children, Big Bear has options for you.
- The Bear Mountain Golf Course is located in Moonridge. It’s a 9-hole course with a driving range that covers 43 acres. It welcomes golfers of all ages and levels. For more information, visit their website.
- Play miniature golf. There are two mini golf locations in town. The Hotshot Mini Golf is located at 42143 Big Bear Blvd and the mini golf course at the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain. Both of these places offer an 18-hole course.
10. Meet exotic animals at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo.
What makes the Big Bear Zoo, formally known as the Moonridge Animal Park, unique is that it’s a sanctuary and rehabilitation facility for injured, orphaned, and imprinted wild animals. The animals at this zoo have been impacted by human behavior and are therefore unable to care for themselves or safely return to their native environment.
At the Big Bear Zoo, you’ll get to see over 85 animal and bird species, including grizzly bears, black bears, gray wolves, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, snow leopards, eagles, vultures, and much more. To plan your visit, check out the zoo’s website.
11. Have a picnic at the park.
There are several parks in Big Bear where you can bring snacks and have a picnic. All of the following have parking lots and either bathrooms or porter potties nearby.
- Aspen Glen Picnic Area has tables and cooking grills, and is located next to several trailheads for hiking and mountain biking.
- Boulder Bay Park has beautiful views of the lake, tables, and benches.
- The Veteran’s Park has picnic tables and a skate park close by.
- Meadow Park has grills, a big playground for kids, a large grassy area, and tennis courts. It is located near a baseball field, Swim Beach, and the lake.
- Sugarloaf Park has a large playground, BMX skate park, basketball and tennis courts, a walking path, and a baseball field.
- Juniper Point has grills, picnic tables, and lake access.
- Dana Point Park has access to the lake and picnic tables.
- East Public Boat Launch is right on the lake and has picnic tables.
- Erwin Lake Park has a playground, walking path, volleyball court, and picnic pavilion.
12. Go Geocaching.
Geocaching is the world’s largest treasure hunt. Through the Geocaching app, you can find general coordinates and trivial clues for treasures left by other people. In the Big Bear area alone, there are over 1,800 geocaches. Download the app, make an account, and log in all the treasures you’ve discovered. You can leave treasures of your own too, but please be sure to follow the app rules on how to do this.
13. Stock up on seasonal produce at the farmer’s market.
The Farmer’s Market features over 30 vendors. This is a great place to shop for locally harvested organic produce, as well as hummus, artisan bread, essential oils, apparel, and much more. The Farmer’s Market starts on the first Tuesday of April and lasts until the last Tuesday of September (seasonally). It opens at 8:30 AM and closes at 1:00 pm, and is located at the Big Bear Convention Center.
14. Enjoy water sports and lake activities.
Some of the most popular activities include:
- Fishing for rainbow trout, bass, and catfish. For the latest fishing report, click here.
- Boating
- Jet skis
- Kayaking
- SUP
- Swimming
Big Bear has several public and private marinas where you can rent or launch your own boat, kayak, or paddle board. All vessels must be inspected prior to entry into Big Bear Lake.
Important: Lake use permits are required for all vessels on Big Bear Lake. For pricing and other information, please visit the Big Bear Municipal Water District—Lake Management website.
For the current status of the lake, click here.
15. Take a boat tour.
Boat tours are a great opportunity to see Big Bear from a different perspective. They operate seasonally— generally between late spring and early autumn.
- The Big Bear Queen departs from the Pine Knot Marina. It’s a larger boat with a capacity of 55 passengers. It has daily departures (usually 2 to 4 tours a day) lasting 90 minutes each. During the tour, you’ll learn about the history of Bear Valley, the solar observatory, points of interest including celebrity homes, and the best fishing spots. Pets are welcome aboard.
- The Pirate Ship departs from Holloway’s Marina. The captain and crew provide an entertaining experience for their guests, including pointing out historical landmarks around the lake and giving stories about certain places. The boat holds a total of 25 people, so book your ticket’s in advance or make arrangements to charter it privately for special events.
16. Enjoy the Big Bear Mountain Resort slopes!
Snow Summit and Bear Mountain have a lot to offer during the summer and winter seasons.
- Summer activities at Snow Summit include:
- Mountain biking for all skill levels
- Downhill racing for the adventure seeker
- Scenic sky chair
- Skyline Taphouse, a snack bar and restaurant at 8,200 ft (located at the top of Chair 1)
- Basecamp activities for kids include the climbing wall, zip line, bungee trampoline, summer tubing, kid’s full throttle bike park, a quick jump free fall, and summer treasure mining.
- Hiking trails and scenic walks, both of which are free and open to the public.
- The Bobsled Trail is 2 miles long and begins under Chair 1. It features incredible panoramic views of the valley and lake. The incline is moderate to difficult and is not necessarily kid-friendly.
- The Mountain Top Loop is a 1-mile loop at the top of Snow Summit. It begins and ends at the View Haus restaurant. The trail features information about local plants, animals, and nature-related topics. It’s a great trail for kids.
For the current activity report, open trails, and the bike park, click here.
- Winter activities at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain include:
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Tubing at Summit
For the daily activity report, snow conditions, and which lifts are open, visit the ski resort page here.
You can buy lift tickets online or at the ticket office, however, keep in mind that tickets may sell out if they’re not purchased in advance.
17. Go horseback riding.
The Baldwin Lake Stables are located on the eastern end of Big Bear. They offer 1 to 3-hour rides, half-day rides, sunset rides, and privately guided rides. Their website has specifications on which trails each tour takes you on, as well as how you can book a trip with them.
18. Visit the Big Bear Discovery Center.
The center is located in Fawnskin. It’s a great place to learn about the history and ecology of the area. They also host outdoor concerts during the summer in their outdoor amphitheater.
19. Visit the Bluff Lake Reserve.
The Bluff Lake Ecological Reserve is a 20-acre lake, marsh, and meadow where you and your family can enjoy picnicking, hiking, wildlife viewing, wildflower viewing, and birdwatching. Dogs are allowed on a leash. They’re open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, from around May 1st through November 1st depending on snow conditions. For more information, visit their website.
20. Go back in time at the Big Bear History Museum.
The Big Bear Valley Historical Museum is a great place to learn about the history of the Big Bear Valley and what made this area popular and unique.
They’re only open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, and Monday holidays from Memorial Weekend (in May) through Labor Day (the first weekend of September). For more information, visit their website.
21. Solve riddles at the Big Bear Escape Room.
Escape rooms have become increasingly popular in recent years. They’re a great way to solve riddles and puzzles with your friends and/or strangers. The Big Bear Escape Room has 3 room options to choose from, each of which lasts an hour. You can check out the details on their website.
22. Play in the snow!
Of course, this is a seasonal thing but some fun winter activities include:
- Building a snowman
- Making snow angels
- Sledding
- My favorite local (free) spot is by the Woodland Loop Trail in North Shore. There are a lot of shady and steep hills there. If you park at the Woodland Parking Lot, you’ll need to show an Adventure Pass. (You can buy a day or annual pass at Big 5, the Discovery Center, or some local liquor stores).
- Snowshoeing
- My favorite trail to go snowshoeing on is Cougar Crest.
23. Take a tour with Action Tours.
This company offers guided tours including:
- Zipline Tours: This is an off-road excursion that features 9 high-speed zip lines and one suspension bridge. This tour lasts around 3 hours and is available year-round.
- Segway Tours: This is a scenic tour of Big Bear, guided by a local guide that provides historical information about the town. This tour lasts around 2 hours and is available year-round.
- Snowshoeing: This tour lasts around 3 hours and is available during the winter months when there is sufficient snow on the ground.
For more information on these tours, visit the Action Tours website.
24. Visit the Big Bear Solar Observatory.
The Solar Observatory hosts tours for scientists and limited tours for the general public. Due to COVID, public tours have been temporarily suspended but I encourage you to check their website for updates on when those will resume.
25. Have family fun at Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain.
Activities include:
- Alpine slide
- GoKarts and mini golf
- Mineshaft rollercoaster
- Soaring eagle
- Snow play (seasonal)
- Water slide (seasonal)
For pricing, hours, and details on all of these activities, visit their website.
26. Visit Big Bear Snow Play.
- Ropes course
- Race cars
- Snow tubing: Options include regular day-time tubing and evening glow-tubing (seasonal)
For pricing, hours, and details on all of these activities, visit their website.
27. Go off-roading.
There are lots of off-roading opportunities in the Big Bear Valley, for instance:
- For Jeep Tours, get in touch with Big Bear Jeep Experience.
- If you’re doing an off-road ride, either birt bike or ATV, you’ll have to go on your own. Although there are no tour companies offering this service as of now, there are plenty of trails you can go exploring in, such as:
- Cactus Flats, located off of Highway 18 en route to Lucerne Valley, is a staging area where you can picnic, watch other riders, and play on the 25-mile loop of roads and trails. There are three 50-inch wide trails whose trailheads lead out of the staging area. These include Pinion Trail, Joshua Loop, and Vista Trail. Be on the lookout for other riders, especially during the weekends and holidays.
- Holcomb Creek is not a beginner trail. It features several challenging boulder fields.
- John Bull Trail is a difficult trail featuring boulders, loose rocks, and steep climbs. It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to complete.
- Big Pine Flats in the Fawnskin area. The southern trailhead is located by the Crab Flats Campground and the northern trailhead is by the Big Pine Flats Campground. If you’re coming from the southern end, you’ll experience some long and steady climbs.
- Rattlesnake Canyon near Lucerne is one of the longest trails, most of which is a fire road. It features rocky and sandy areas, amazing views, and local flora and fauna.
28. Hang out at the Bowling Barn.
The Bowling Barn has a lot of family-friendly activities including:
- Daytime bowling and evening glow bowling with black-lights
- Video game arcade
- Laser maze
- Alley Oops Sports Bar (for adults)
For pricing, hours, reservations, and details on all of these activities, visit their website.
29. Enjoy free live music in the village.
Walk around the village on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays to hear live music by some of the most talented local artists.
P.S. My all-time favorite is Nikki Sparks. Her style is a little bit country mixed with rock. You’ll likely find her performing on the patio on Fridays from 6 to 9 PM at Stillwells, Saturdays from 2 to 4 PM at 572 Social, and Sundays from 5 to 7 PM at 572 Social. For updates and other shows, you can follow her on Instagram.
30. Watch the sunset (and sunrise) at Stanfield Cutoff.
Watching the sunset in Big Bear is one of my favorite things to do— the colors are brighter and more diverse when there are some clouds in the sky. The perfect location, in my opinion, is along Stanfield Cutoff because the sun typically sets right over the lake. Once the sun has set, wait 15 to 30 minutes to see the sky light up in all sorts of stunning colors.
Now, if you’re a morning person, you should go watch the sunrise. You can see if from the same location, but of course, it’ll come up from the opposite direction. Because of our current drought, you won’t see it coming up over water but the colors of the sky will be just as fascinating. If you want to see the sun rising over the lake, you can go watch it from the Big Bear dam.
31. Go beer tasting at the local brewery.
If you’re into craft beer, you have to stop by the Big Bear Lake Brewing Company. They brew 7 craft beers in their cozy restaurant. They offer several varieties, from Honey Blonde, Apricot Wheat, Hazy IPAs, Red Ale, and more.
32. Wine tasting at Barrel 33.
If you’re more of a wine person like me, you’ll definitely enjoy stopping by Barrel 33. They have wine, beer, and cider tastings, as well as a food menu to pair with their drinks. Apart from bi-weekly paint and sip events, they host live music in their private patio weekly on Saturdays and every other Friday from 2:00 to 7:30 PM. For more information, check out their event lineup here.
33. Learn to line dance.
Wyatt’s Grill and Saloon host country dancing nights every Wednesday during the summer. Doors open at 4:00 PM, dancing starts around 6:00 PM and lasts until 10:00 PM. Free line dancing classes are taught at 7:00 PM. Apart from a friendly atmosphere, they offer ranch-style grub, wine, beer, and cocktails. For more details and weekend events happening at Wyatt’s, check out their website.
34. Play pool and watch your favorite sports at the bar.
Whiskey Dave’s is a sports bar with 22 TVs featuring college and Pro games, 6 pool tables, foosball, and live music every Friday and Saturday evening.
35. Sing karaoke at Murray’s Saloon.
Murray’s on weekend evenings has the perfect blend of locals and 20-some-year-old travelers from Los Angeles and San Diego. If you’re in Big Bear on a Friday or Saturday evening, go enjoy a drink, bar food, and sing along to the karaoke tunes.
36. Attend a live show performance at the Cave.
The Cave is a cozy music venue in the heart of the Village. Some of my favorite performances to watch there were Joshua Radin, and cover bands for Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Queen. For the lineup of upcoming shows, check out their website.
37. Dance the night away.
If you’re in a dancing mood, stop by the AV Nightclub any evening of the week. They have a DJ from Wednesday through Saturday starting at 9:00 PM. They play a variety of hip hop, EDM, house, and reggaeton (if the DJ is in a good mood).
38. Go stargazing in the clear mountain air.
Big Bear is one of the best places in SoCal to see shooting stars and meteor showers. To find the ideal stargazing spot, I recommend going far away from bright lights, heavily forested areas, and dusty roads. One of my favorite spots is by the lake near the corner of Park Ave and Knight Ave. This area can get chilly at night, so bring extra blankets!
39. Cuddle with a hot drink and a good book in front of the fireplace.
Many vacation homes in Big Bear come equipped with a fireplace. Regardless of which time of year you’re visiting the mountains, a relaxing evening in front of the fireplace is a must in my opinion.
40. Go camping.
The wilderness is what categorizes Big Bear as one of the most tranquil vacation spots in Southern California. Waking up to the chill of the morning and the sound of birds chirping is a beautiful and unique experience.
Some local campgrounds you can look into are the Serrano Campground in North Shore and the Pine Knot Campground in Big Bear Lake. If you’d like to be tucked into the wilderness with more privacy, check out the many yellow post sites available throughout the town, such as off of Mill Creek Rd.
41. Celebrate Oktoberfest.
Even though this is only a two-month annual event, it’s worth checking out if you’re in town. Oktoberfest is hosted between September and November every year at the Convention Center. For information on specific dates, visit their event website.
42. Go axe throwing.
At Yosemite Axe Throwing, you can capture the essence of axe throwing like a true lumberjack. This is the only company in the world that uses 100% dead trees locally salvaged from drought or bark beetle. Each log is hand selected and hand-milled. Everyone over the age of 8 is welcome. This is a great place to host a birthday, bachelor/bachelorette party, team building exercises, and have a date night.
Tips for visiting Big Bear, California
Before driving up to Big Bear, I encourage you to check the weather and road conditions, chain requirements, and road closures.
For the most up-to-date road conditions, check out the CalTrans website—enter highway numbers 18, 38, or 330 depending on which way you’re traveling— or call 1-800-427-7623.
For the current weather, check out the National Weather Service website.
Remember that poor road conditions can occur during any time of year, so come prepared with an emergency kit, snacks, and drinking water in your vehicle. Between November 1st and April 30th, it is mandatory to carry tire chains in your car.
When is the best time to visit Big Bear Lake, California?
With an average of 286 days of sunshine and 43 days of precipitation each year, Big Bear has a lot to offer during every season. Determining the best time to visit is just a matter of which activities you want to participate in.
Summer and winter are the busiest months because school is out and the weather is favorable for outdoor sports and recreation.
On the other hand, the times when there are a lower number of tourists are also when there are fewer scheduled events and activities.
Regardless of the season, weekdays tend to be less busy than the weekends.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time, or are a seasonal traveler, there are plenty of activities to make your Big Bear getaway vacation a relaxing and memorable one!
